Instead of beer?

Skinny2Be · 05-02-2008, 12:32 PM

It's a bit of a side issue this, but I found myself wondering today 'If I no longer drink beer... what do I drink?'

Obviously I know that there are a range of non-carbonated alcoholic beverages available, but I have to find the one that fits right as a manly beer replacement.

For example, we all have afternoons where we meet the guys in a packed bar to watch an important sports game. That's really not the time to be asking for a look at the wine list.

The hardcore manly drinks - say scotch - are probably a bit much mid-afternoon. But chuck a mixer in with a spirit and it immediately becomes a little camp: JD and Coke, Gin and Tonic, Vodka and Orange.

Guiness is pretty flat, so that's my best solution so far... but it's bloody disgusting. So I'm on the lookout for sipping drinks that a guy can drink with pride.

Any ideas?

zagora · 05-02-2008, 01:19 PM

Been thinking about the same thing. I am an avid beer drinker and would opt for the vodka cran or gin tonic.

snuffy65 · 05-02-2008, 01:43 PM

I never was a beer guy, so most of the guys I have a guy night out with already expect me to get something else.

Some suggestions:

White russian (my favorite)
Margarita
Screwdriver
Mai Tai
Long Island Ice Tea( another favorite, with just a splash of coke)

Bloody mary
A manly version of a BM would be a "Bloody Bull" (surprisingly goes down great and you get some vegatables and protein out fo the deal)

mediummike · 05-02-2008, 03:15 PM

wow - carefull with those mixed drinks - lots of empty calories. i was a former big time beer drinker. i opt for bourbon on the rocks these days. you can always dilute it down with water or club soda if you like. likewise, rum and diet coke is much better than a gin and tonic. i would just say be mindfull of your mixers. by the way, i can still enjoy one or two beers pretty easily...especially beers on tap

**Jack** · 05-02-2008, 05:37 PM

I had a choice between my eyeballs and kidneys, or beer. Suddenly faced with insulin injections and the various bummers that come with diabetes onset, 18 years ago I quit beer & etc cold turkey.

It was strange at first. What to do with all that daylight. What to do with all that extra cash in my pocket. What to do when I was thirsty, etc.

I was introduced to the world of carbonated waters from many different countries. Never caring for soda anyway, I exulted in my new taste treats.

Then came the Band. No more carbanated waters. For a while. Absolutely couldn't/shouldn't/wouldn't.

Water is good for us. It helps to develop an appreciation for plain simple water. It helps soothe my mind and spirit. And it makes a difference when I drink it regularly.

Don't make me get into a droning lecture mode about water.

Just like overeating, drinking ethanol is a habit that can be changed with a little self discipline.

2BtinyinTN · 05-02-2008, 08:45 PM

Not drinking beer has been a concern of mine too! Nothing better than a cold beer on a hot summer afternoon!! I have been trying different things in preperation for the absence. Vodka and diet tonic isn't to bad or Jack and diet. My doc's office actually recommends NO carbonated drinks EVER! It might have to be good ol vino!

Skinny2Be · 05-03-2008, 04:50 AM

Some great ideas there, thanks chaps.

Bourbon and soda was a good suggestion... it's a got the right ring to it. Seems like just the kind of thing a guy can order with his mates without enduring mocking glances.

Not that I care too much what other guys think, but nobody wants to order a 'girl's' drink when out with the boys!

Fanny Adams · 05-03-2008, 06:14 AM

Sorry to butt into the Men's Room, but you might find the carbonation in soda water just as bad as the beer, so bourbon & soda might not be such a great option. I drink scotch & water, which goes down very well and is probably one of the lowest calorie options in the alcoholic range. If you use lots of ice and are very generous with the water, it's not too heavy for daytime

. I'm pretty sure you'd get away with that as a "man's" choice

.

**Jack** · 05-03-2008, 08:45 AM

re: "just the kind of thing a guy can order with his mates without enduring mocking glances."

...oh good lord....

Mickers · 05-04-2008, 05:17 PM

A"manly" drink. What sort of mates doo you have. To me ordering a glass of sauvignon blanc is not unmanly in fact I feel it show some culture and to do it in a bar during a sporting match takes a level of manlyness beyond most fellows. I was a massive beer drinker before the band and have not missed it since, don't let peer pressure or the image of what a man is sabotage your weight loss. I work in a blue collar enviroment and was hesitant to tell my workmates about the band but since they have known they have been the greatest support so have a glass of wine at the bar and teell your mates why I bet they back you up. You wont be as interested in drinking as much anyway, feeling good is more addictive and boy I feel good.

**Jack** · 05-05-2008, 08:37 AM

"Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels"

And I recall those long lost epochs of my life when 'gimme another beer' was the high point of my social existence....

kelleyleighn · 05-05-2008, 09:18 AM

I love beer! I have tried to drink it and it makes me feel so bad, mostly bloated and gasy. I have been able to drink wine and margaritas. Didn't care for the wine much, but the margaritas were good and I could seem to maintain while drinking them. Just worried about the calories. Can we ever go back to beer?

mommy4 · 05-05-2008, 09:20 AM

hello fellow lap bandersters i work at vandy and i would like to say a vodka on rocks would not be so bad. lol

globetrotter · 05-05-2008, 10:46 AM

I really really miss beer. beer was the closest thing that I had to a religion.

I have been drinking shots of bourbon or rye, with a water chaser, but I want to try something else. in mexico, it is pretty common to drink tequila with a chaser of tomoto juice with spices, pretty much like a bloody mary. next time I go to a bar I am going to ask for a shot of bourbon with a tomato juce chaser and see how that works.

**Jack** · 05-05-2008, 06:37 PM

When I quit drinking in 1990....it was about 6 years before I suddenly realized I no longer craved beer nearly every day. At this late point now, I don't have the faintest idea what the big attraction was all about.

My first beer was in 1961 and I well remember what that taste was like.
In spite of that, I continued with a career in suds appreciation studies for nearly 30 years. I can't identify one single benefit gleaned from my lengthy apprenticeship.

Instead of beer?

Instead of beer?

What the!!